TAUNTON — If not for the “obstruction” of local lawyer Joseph deMello and his sister Dolores Milho, no one would be asking why it’s taking so long to start demolishing the Star Theater/Leonard Block building, according to City Solicitor Jason D. Buffington.

DeMello, meanwhile, accused the city’s law department of pushing its weight around trying to get his sister and client to sign an easement agreement that does not guarantee the eventual safety of her own building and employees.

The city, for its part, filed a complaint in Taunton Superior Court in February seeking injunctive relief against Milho and her realty trust, as part of a “declaration of rights.”

This came after deMello and Milho, in a letter dated Dec. 31, allegedly demanded the city pay $10,000 to cover any costs incurred related to razing the Star.

Buffington, in an email and by phone, responded Saturday to accusations by deMello that the city has failed to present a final plan of action for the safe demolition of the Star Theater — a 145-year-old, four-story structure next to City Hall that, according to at least one engineer’s report, is in danger of “catastrophic failure.”

DeMello is representing Milho, whose New York Lace bridal shop and beauty salon building on Main Street abuts the opposite side of the Star, where it shares a common wall.

Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr. first said he intended to quickly demolish the Star back in September 2013, when a housing court judge ordered former owner Michael O’Donnell to transfer ownership to the city.

That order came after O’Donnell failed to make significant structural repairs and remove junk and debris he’d been hoarding inside the dilapidated downtown building, located at 107-111 Main St.

Hoye said eliminating the Star — which sits about 50 feet from City Hall at 15 Summer St. — would greatly facilitate the eventual renovation and repair of the latter; a feasibility report by an architectural firm noted that Leonard Block constituted just such a hindrance.

City Hall has been closed since August 2010, when an unknown arsonist set fire in its attic.

The city agreed to pay $92,000 to BETA Group last December, which has provided engineering expertise to the DPW for years, to conduct a pre-demolition survey of the Star Theater.

The city also paid $47,000 for an abatement company to remove potentially hazardous materials from inside the building.

Superintendent of Public Buildings Wayne Walkden had stated that, barring any unforeseen difficulties, the Star would be razed within three months.

BETA did conduct the bulk of its survey, which is needed before a demolition company can begin to tear it down.

But it soon hit a roadblock, when Milho refused its engineers access to the vacant office space in her curved building that directly abuts Leonard Block.

Page 2 of 3 - In late March, the City Council selected low bidder JDC Demolition, a subsidiary of Brockton-based J. Derenzo Co., to demolish the Star for $560,555.

That came after the state’s Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance granted the city a time-saving waiver to bypass the normal requirement of placing ads and notices to solicit bids.

Another $102,000 was appropriated to cover, not just change orders, but also an “exterior installation system” to secure the party wall shared by New York Lace and the Star.

DeMello said that’s hardly sufficient.

“No one in their right mind would sign that — it absolves the city and its engineer (BETA) of any liability,” he said.

The “temporary site access and construction easement” agreement, as presented to deMello-Milho Realty Trust, stipulates that the contractor — not the city or BETA — will be held liable for “negligent acts” of the contractor’s employees.

It also states New York Lace employees “may need to vacate portions of (the building) during certain demolition activities.”

DeMello insists the city hire an independent engineer, apart from BETA, to conduct an evaluation of what’s needed to ensure New York Lace building is not damaged and its staff not put in harm’s way.

He accuses the city and its law department of adopting a “Pontius Pilate approach,” by essentially telling his sister “here it is, sign it.”

“Where’s the trust? It’s truly distressing,” deMello said.

He readily admits to having asked the city to pony up $5,000 in legal fees and another $5,000 for his sister to hire an independent engineer.

“And guess what? That’s peanuts,” he said, considering what it will cost the city to seek injunctive relief.

deMello said although his client happens to be his sister, it doesn’t mean she’s receiving free legal counsel.

Referring to the city’s stance, deMello said, “Just because you’ve got legal services at your disposal doesn’t mean you should throw it around.”

He said he’s especially concerned about New York Lace in light of a deadly building collapse last June in Philadelphia when a four-story building being prepared for demolition fell into an adjacent Salvation Army Thrift Store, killing six and injuring 13.

The contractor in that case is facing third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter charges.

“Dolores’ and everyone’s concern is safety, and we still don’t know of any specific precautions to protect her property and occupants,” said deMello, who called the planned demolition of the Star “an inherently dangerous procedure.”

Page 3 of 3 - “It’s the largest brick structure downtown,” he added.

DeMello also notes his sister has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars expanding and improving her business.

Buffington said it’s ironic the reason the city is unable to present deMello and Milho a definitively final demolition plan is due to her refusing BETA access to drill a series of harmless holes in the party wall.

“They’re refusing to let us in and take care of the last piece of the puzzle,” he said.

Buffington, in his email, said the Star Theater “has been a thorn in city’s side for a long time,” and that it continues to pose “an extremely dangerous” public safety threat.

He also says he’s known the deMello family for many years, respects them and considers them friends. But Buffington makes clear he holds them responsible for impeding important work.

“The city has a job to do, and we will do it,” he wrote.

“I will not allow the city to acquiesce to unreasonable demands,” Buffington said, adding that he is “quite content to place this matter in the hands of a Superior Court judge.”

DeMello, who has muscular dystrophy and is known as an aggressive advocate for people and clients with disabilities, said the issue might have been resolved had not the city “dragged” his sister into court and “forced her to hire an attorney.”